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The Orzhov Syndicate
The Orzhov Syndicate Quote: "Let him be an example to others who would default on their debts to us." To find the Orzhov, the saying goes, follow the gold. The so-called Guild of Deals contains both Ravnica’s richest citizens and its most oppressed. At the guild’s highest echelons sit the patriarchs, whose wealth and privilege know no bounds. Their usury buys them a prolonged life of incredible excess. It even buys them undeath—spirits of past patriarchs rule the Orzhov from beyond the grave. At the depths of the guild are the indentured servants trapped by crushing debt, whether incurred by them, their parents, or even their distant ancestors. Holding this fragile social order in place is a veneer of religious pomp and ritual, though few believe the Orzhov worship any god other than coin. Common Knowledge:' '''The Orzhov guild is founded on the beliefs that wealth is power, that structure breeds wealth, and that guilt creates structure. The guild is run like a combination religion, credit-lending agency, and crime syndicate. An ostentatious hierarchy of priests, enforcers, and ghostly councilors rules over a congregation of guilt-bound loyalists, indebted undead, and thrull servants. Many Orzhov guild members truly believe that their rule is necessary for making Ravnica the best it can be, and they are unscrupulous in their methods of seizing power. Most Ravnicans see the Orzhov for the corrupt organization they are, but many are lured in by their promises of wealth, prestige, and longevity. ''Orzhova, the Cathedral Opulent -''The guildhall of the Syndicate is Orzhova, sometimes called the Church of Deals. It’s a lavish cathedral with soaring ceilings, designed to make anyone who enters it feel insignificant and out-of-scale by comparison. Overblown stained glass windows and oversized marble statues depict an array of wealthy bishops, enforcer angels, and guild-affiliated ghosts. Orzhova is the site of the most impressive Orzhov ceremonies and rituals, including the Orzhov’s weekly address to its ranks. ''Obzedat, the Ghost Council - ''The Orzhov guild is ruled by the Obzedat, a council of ghostly autocrats who have maintained their wealth and power even as they’ve shed their mortal forms. Members of the Obzedat have managed to cheat mortality, maintaining their consciousness (and their greed) beyond the threshold of death. They are paranoid and spiteful dictators, often going out of their way to thwart ambitious underlings, crush rumormongers, and spy on potential enemies. The Obzedat rarely speak directly with those outside the guild; instead they communicate through their official envoy, Teysa Karlov. '''Adventurers and the Icon: '''For the most time, the Orzhov Syndicate work very hard to separate adventurers from their hard-earned coin. Every business can trace back ties to the Orzhov one way or another, and adventuring is no exception. They often lure adventurers with reasonable loans, unlimited debt, indentured service after death or a cozy spot for all eternity amongst the ghost rulers. As lucrative as farming adventurers can be, the Orzhov also hire them as muscle, racketterers and debt colectors. Particulary greedy or "devout" adventurers can also find a spot in the hierarchy of the Church of Deals. '''Allies: '''The Azorius Senate appreciate Orzhov lobbists and their work on establishing order. The Dimir often find common ground and accept contracts from the Orzhov. The Golgari sometimes enter open conflict with the Orzhov, but for the most part the Syndicate divides the dead with the Swarn, one claiming the souls and the other devouring the corpses. '''Enemies: ' The Selesnya Conclave isn't pleased with the greedy lives and afterlives of the Orzhov and hate their undead existance. The Cult of Rakdos causes chaos, destroys Orzhov businesses, takes souls from the Syndicate and often takes in defaulted debtors and all around undermines the Orzhov's agenda. Sometimes those of the Boros Legion that can't be bribed cause problem, trying to wage holy war against the Church of Deals. '''History: '''The Ghost Council has always existed, pariarchs and matriarchs of ten millenia, governing the spirits of the dead. The Orzhov Syndicate was once a true, real faith, but all that remain are the trappings. '''The True Danger: '''The Orzhov Syndicate might own all the Ravnica, but as long as none other guild defaults their debts to them, all is well.